‘Of course, they’ve had such a long day. Are you sure you’re happy to drive them, darling?’

‘Yes, I’d like to. It’s just Amanda …’

We glanced across to where my parents, exhausted and spent, slumped on a leather sofa by the fire, were being monopolized by Michael’s sister. Some long, drunken monologue had been unfolding, I learned later, about the idyllic childhood she and her brother had enjoyed, and what a golden boy he’d been. Such a talented writer and a wonderful husband and father. A marvellous brother too, always there for her, and she was going to miss him so much. All of which was bollocks, of course, because Michael and Amanda rarely saw one another, and when they did, fought ferociously. My father, seeing us look, rolled mildly despairing eyes. My mother’s were shut.

‘Rescue them, darling, and I’ll go down later in the week. I’ll cope with Amanda.’

‘Well, she certainly can’t drive,’ muttered Helena.

‘Oh, she hasn’t done that for years. I think she got a lift here …’ I glanced around the pub, but everyone had gone apart from us, not that terribly many people had come to the funeral and still fewer to the pub. ‘Didn’t she come with some of his Soho buddies? I can’t see them …’

‘They’ve all sugared off,’ said Melissa. ‘Stayed for the free drinks but then went. Don’t worry, I’ll take her.’

‘Oh Melissa, that’s above and beyond.’ It was. Half an hour of Amanda’s views on the universe was half an hour too long.

‘She’ll be asleep in moments and I’ll put the radio on. Somewhere in Chelsea?’

‘Tregunter Road, off Redcliffe Gardens. Thanks, hon.’

She got up, slim and elegant, her dark hair in a neat chignon, my greatest friend and ally, who sadly, I saw too little of these days. Her work mostly took her away to Silicon Valley, where they were desperate for her skills, and where she spent most of her life in hotels. She’d sworn she hadn’t flown across specially, but I couldn’t be sure. She drained her drink and I watched her cross the room and neatly extricate Amanda, bidding my parents, who brightened immediately, goodbye. They were very fond of her. Dad managed to haul himself up from the deep sofa, reaching for his stick and thanking her with his eyes. He received a huge wink from Melissa. She frogmarched her mildly protesting charge across the room to us for the swiftest of goodbyes.

‘But I thought maybe I’d stay a bit …’ Amanda was mumbling. Her streaky blonde hair was all over her face, which, once very attractive, was now rather puffy. Her heavy make-up was smeared. She was wearing a smart black suit but it was very creased. She frowned petulantly. ‘Lucy, surely you could take me—’